Trouble in Tortall
by 4-eyedDragon
Summary: This is set about a year after Lady Knight. Kel's life as a knight is going wonderfully, until an unknown visitor arrives in Tortall, and stirs some trouble in Tortall. I know my summary may suck, but story is great. COMPLETE! This is the first installment in a series.
1. Unexpected Visitor

**Title: **Trouble in Tortall

**Summary: **This is set about a year after Lady Knight. Kel's life as a knight is going wonderfully, until an unknown visitor arrives in Tortall, and stirs some trouble in Tortall.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own everything. There is at least one OC, and that is about it.

Chapter 1

Lady Keledry of Mindelan was up on the wall of New Hope, starring out in the distance, awaiting the Third Company of the King's Own. Kel had her telescope raised and was looking as far as she could in every direction. Kel was leaning as far as she dared on the edge of the wall and didn't notice Neal sneak up on her.

"Any sign of them?" He said suddenly.

Kel was so surprised that she nearly fell off the edge. She grabbeed the wall and held on for her life. It was at least a 20-foot drop from where she was.

"Nealan!" Kel yelled.

Neal laughed "I'm sorry Kel, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Announce yourself next time" Kel snapped.

"Any sign of my cousin?" Neal asked.

"Not yet" Kel said.

"Hey, are we expecting anyone besides the Third Company?" Neal asked.

"No. Why do you ask?"

"There is a rider coming this way" Neal said.

Kel took her telescope and raised it. There was a hooded figure on a horse leaving the path and riding towards New Hope."

"Merric!" Kel called down the wall.

Merric carefully made his way to Kel "Yeah?"

"There is an unexpected rider on her way here, send some of your men in to see her in, I'll be down waiting for her."

Merric nodded and shouted orders down the wall. Kel and Neal headed down from the wall.

When the woman arrived, Her hood had been pulled down, revealing her white-blonde hair and mystic blue-gray eyes. Her horse was white with reddish patches and a reddish mane and tail. The woman dismounted with the help from one of the guards.

"Hello" The woman said, "My name is Kirsten Nettie."

"Lady Knight Keledry of Mindelan" Kel said.

"Sir Nealan of Queenscove" Neal said.

"Pleasure to meet you. I know it is awfully rude to ask you of this, but I have been on the road for months, I was wondering if you could put me up for a few weeks, you know, while I regain my strength to continue my journey."

"Why didn't you stop at Mastiff? Would Lord Wyldon not put you up?"

"I am sorry, where?"

"Mastiff" Kel said "The fort before us?"

"Oh, yes of course" Kirsten said laughing "I thought that place looked like a place for soldiers, I assumed I wasn't good enough to get in there. But I saw you let people who look like me in, so I figured, hoped, and prayed that you would except me as well."

"Well…" Kel thought "We do have one small room available, but it is very small, and it isn't exactly an ideal place to call a room."

"Anything you have will be fine."

"Come on then, I'll show you the room" Kel said

Kel and Kirsten walked through New Hope and talked.

"Thank you so much, this is so very kind of you, taking in a poor, lonely widow such as myself.

"You're a widow?" Kel asked.

"Yes, my husband, Andrew died a fool's death.

"How did he die?"

"Ever since he was a wee little lad, he had dreamed of being a knight, but of course that is just for them noble folks like yourselves. Well, about 8 years ago, there was a man who walked through our small, forgotten village and he knocked on doors and gave the people in the house a choice"

"What choice was that?" Kel asked

"Either give over the oldest eligible woman in the house, or they will kill the entire household and burn the property to the ground. Well, you see my husband and I had a daughter who was about 13. The man grabbed her and started off. Andrew took this opportunity to be brave like a knight and ran after her. He died trying to save our girl. The man decided that the girl had already caused too much trouble, he killed her on the spot."

"I am so sorry for your loss" Kel said quietly "Were they your only family?"

"Nah, me ma was still around, I went to stay with her for about 18 months, till she died."

"What did you do after that?"

"I stayed in me ma's house for 'bout 6 years, then I lost the job I had an' couldn't pay me taxes. I sold the house and took the money to buy something smaller, which held me for about 9 weeks, the building was burned down to the ground. I have spent the past 4 months or so on the road."

"Well here we are, I warn you, it's not much" Kel said as they arrived at a small building.

"Anything is better then out there" Kirsten said.

Kel opened the door, inside was a small room with a bed, a trunk, and a small basin. There was a door that led to a small privy.

"I'm sorry we can't do better, we have a group of men from the King's Own coming today and they are taking all the available rooms."

"Believe me Lady Keledry, this will be just fine."

"Please, call me Kel."

Kirsten smiled "Kel it is."

After Kel left, Kirsten smiled. Her room filled with blue-gray magic and she produced a small mirror.

"Master? Master ?"

"Yes Kaitlyn, I'm here, what do you have for me"

"She fell for it! The name, the story, she fell for all of it. She has taken me in. The first step is complete"

"Good. How long until you fulfil your promise to me? I want what I am paying you to do and I want it done right! Lady Keledry has many powerful friends that will keep her from danger by all mean necessary. Your task will not be easy.

"I like hard tasks master, you should know that by now"

"Just get it done and get it done quickly! I have waited since the day Joren died for what you promised me to get done"

"Don't worry master, you are paying me a very big purse, I won't let you down.

"You better not. If you fail me, you shall join Joren with the Black God in the Peaceful Realms. Am I clear?"

"Crystal clear, master."

"Good. I leave you to your work."


	2. PLots Beginning

**Author's Note 1:** I would like to dedicate this chapter to **mykaroni412**, for convincing me to post this story. Without her, there would not be anything for you to read (I meant to dedicate the first chapter to her, but I forgot to add that in when I was posting). From now on, I will dedicate each chapter to my first reviewer.

**Author's Note 2: **Sorry this chapter took so long to post, I had it wriiten long before this, but I was grounded (stupid progress report in stupid high school).

Now on with the story!

**Chapter 2**

Kel knocked on "Kirsten's" door. Kaitlyn answered.

"Lady Kel! What a surprise" Kaitlyn said.

"The men of the Third Company are arriving, I wondered if you might want to meet them. Their Knight Commander is my former knight-master and I have a lot of friends within the entire Own."

"Lady Kel, that is very nice of you to offer, but why would a group of soldiers be interested in a widowed maiden like myself?"

"The men won't care about your class...and I can pretty much guarantee you have more manners than that of most the men show. Please come and meet them. I insist upon it."

"If you insist Lady Kel" Kaitlyn said.

When Kel and Kaitlyn arrived, the men of the Third Company were already dismounted.

"Kel!"

A brown-haired, blue-eyed man ran over to the two women.

"Hello Dom" Kel said.

"Kel, I have great new! You'll never believe what Lord Raoul did before we-Oh, hello miss."

Kaitlyn blushed, "I am hardly worth being treated so formally."

" Dom, this is Kirsten Nettie. Kirsten, this is Sergeant Domitan of Masabolle."

"It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Nettie" Dom said.

"Please call me Kirsten, and the pleasure is mine Sergeant."

"If I am to call you Kirsten, then you are to call me Dom."

"Dom, what will I never believe?" Kel asked.

"What?" Dom asked.

"Before you saw Kirsten, you said you have some great news and that 'd never believe something."

"Oh right" Dom said, getting a great big grin on his face "The news is…well let me just show you."

Dom pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Kel.

"What is this?" Kel asked.

"Read it" Dom said.

Kel gave Dom an odd look and opened the paper and started reading.

By Royal Decree

Any member of the King's Own may be married with the permission of their Knight Commander. Without the permission of their Knight Commander, the member of the Own will be dismissed from the Own, as is stated in the original law.

"Dom, is this real? I'm not dreaming?"

"If you are, I am too. And if this is a dream…I don't think I ever want to wake up."

Dom and Kel shared a long, passionate kiss. They could hear members of the Own cheering as they broke apart.

"We should get Raoul's permission to get married before we take this-"

Dom placed a finger on her lips "Already taken care of."

The new couple shared a second kiss.

"I see how it is, I spend 15 minutes arguing with the king to make sure my former squire and one of my sergeants can live together happily, and I get ignored. If that isn't thanks, I don't know what is."

A couple of men laughed. There were two faces that were not recognized by Kel, but Kaitlyn knew them all too well. It was her brother and her best (not to mention only) friend.

The first man had golden-blonde hair, but the same blue-gray eyes as his sister. The second man was a man with reddish-brown hair, and brown eyes. These two men dismounted and walked over to join Kaitlyn."

"How are things going Kaitlyn?" the golden-blonde haired man asked.

"First off, Riley, around here it is Kirsten" Kaitlyn said "Second of all, I have that woman over there, Lady Keledry of Mindelan, eating out of my hand."

"Master Buchard will be pleased to hear that" the reddish-brown-haired man said.

"I talked to him about an hour ago Dylan" Kaitlyn said, "He was very pleased."

"So…how did you work your way into a room inside New Hope?"

"I played the 'I'm a lonely widow' card and gave her a sappy story. She pitied me and took me in. From what I hear, she likes to help out strays, I guess I'm just the newest stray to her. What 'bout the two of you? How did you manage to get into the Own? From what I hear, Lord Raoul doesn't just allow anyone, and he hates to train new men."

Dylan grinned and pulled out a piece of official-looking parchment. "He was on orders from the crown."

"The king let you two in?"

"Course not, it's all forged. Helps to have connections with palace servants. Got me the documents and an old agreement with the king's signature. Memorized and practiced it until it was an exact replica of the king's. We then told Lord Raoul we are from fief Treagan."

"Fief Treagan? I've never heard of it?"

"That's because it doesn't exist" Dylan said "We told Lord Raoul it was a small fief, squished between Pearlmouth and the border of Tyra."

"Those are serious offenses. The two of you, as well as the servant that helped are looking a hefty fine if you are lucky, a lot of time in the dungeons if you're not."

"If we get caught doing what Master Buchardwants, we are alll looking at Traitors Hill" Riley pointed out.

"And how is the king to find out anyway?" Dylan asked.

The three grinned at each other.

"Treagan and…Treagan! Come over here for a moment!" Lord Raoul called.

"Coming sir!" Dylan and Riley called. They turned back to Kaitlyn "We'll talk later" Kaitlyn nodded.

(Tobe's POV)

I was talking to one of the horses near the three people, The horse said that the woman had been called Kaitlyn by the golden-haired man. I could have sworn she told lady that her name was Kirsten…I thought nothing of it as lady walked over to Kirsten…or Kaitlyn…or whatever her name was.

(Kaitlyn's POV)

Lady Keledry walked over "Do you know them?"

I nodded "The golden-haired one is my step-brother. The other one is an old friend."

Now that you have read this story...Review please! I love your opinion and I would love to hear ideas for this story, I get SWBS (Severe Writter's Block Syndrome) very easily, so the more ideas, the better. I promise to figure out a way to fit them into my story. All I ask is NO FLAMES please. I don't mind criticism, but there is a difference between criticism and flames.

**Review Reply**

Thank you so much for all my wonderful, fabulous reviewers!

**mykaroni412:** Thankyou for reading and reviewing this chapter, I am glad you liked it! I would also like to thank you for convincing me to post this story. Also, thank you for pointing out how I constantly used Kel, if you haddn't pointed it out, I wouldn't have noticed it and I wouldn't have checked for it on this chapter

**Eclipsa: **I'm glad you think this story is interesting. I hope you like this chapter just as much as the last one.

**Elfsquire90:** I am sorry that the last chapter was confusing, I hope this one clears some things up.


	3. The First Conversation

**Chapter 3-The first conversation**

**Happy Holidays to my wonderful reviewers! My first reviewer for the previous chapter was (drumroll please...)** **mykaroni412! This chapter is dedicated to you. Thank you to all of my reviewers and I hope you enjoy the new chapter!**

After supper that evening, Kaitlyn, Riley, and Dylan were all sitting in the small area of Kaitlyn's. She had put up a magical shield and they had gotten to planning

"Ok, so Master Burchard wants this done before Midwinter, that gives us 5 months to work. Now, we have all completed step one in our plans, but what is step two?" Riley asked

"For me, it is getting close to Lady Kel" Kaitlyn said

"And for us" Dylan said "It is getting close to Lord Raoul"

"We need to find Lady Keledry's weak spot" Riley said

"That's easy, it's heights. Don't you remember? Master Buchard said Joren said Kel was afraid of heights"

"But she can deal with them now, having to rescue that maid of hers took care of that" Kaitlyn said

"True" Dylan said

"Well what is Raoul's weakness?" Kaitlyn asked "His wife?"

"Raoul has Kel too" Riley said

"Explain please" Kaitlyn said

"Are you blind?" Riley asked, "Raoul loves his wife as a husband should, but he loves Kel as if she were his daughter. We can weaken the giantkiller by getting to Kel"

"And we can use the refugees to get to Kel" Kaitlyn said "She already committed treason to save them, I bet she would do whatever she needed to get to them. There is a reason she is called the Protector of the Small."

"What step would be the kidnapping refugees step?"

"Step three, after we have Kel and Raoul wrapped around our fingers."

"Let's skip step two and go strait to the kidnapping!" Dylan said "The sooner we get the refugees, the sooner we can finish our job."

"No!" Kaitlyn and Riley shouted.

"Ok, it was just a question"

"We need to lure away Kel and Raoul for an hour or so, that's how much time I need on the magic. If we don't get close to them, we won't be able to get them to leave"

"How long will it take?" Riley said

"It could take weeks, even months" Kaitlyn said "Master Buchard wants this job done right the first time, because there might not be a second time. Sometimes to get thing done right means to take things slow"

"Well…let's think. What is a quick way to get very popular with Raoul?"

"He likes hard workers" Kaitlyn said "If you are practicing before the rest of the Own get up and after the Own go to sleep, it won't take long to impress him"

"Ok...the Own trains at dawn every morning, except tomorrow, he's letting us have some fun before we work. We can get up an hour earlier every day and practice, but tomorrow, we will get up and practice until breakfast starting at dawn…"

"Wait, you expect me to get up before dawn?"

"Lord Raoul expects us to be ready at dawn every morning" Riley pointed out

"That is different. That is Lord Raoul"

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes "Be ready. Got it?"

"Fine, I've got it"

"Good"

"Now" Riley said "What would impress Kel?"

"The same thing, she loves hard workers. I can…watch the kids or make a family their meals while their parents get some work done. Or I can do some of the chores around here, you know, help with the fields, clean the latrines, help in the kitchens or with my gift I can help in the infirmary."

(Meanwhile, in Kel's room)

"I'm so happy you are here Dom" Kel said as they sat quietly

"I'm glad to be here, to be with you. Kel, I love you"

"I know, I love you too"

Kel and Dom kissed

"I'm glad King Jonathon lifted the law against members of the Own marrying"

"I am too"

They sat in silence some more, finally, Dom spoke

"Kel, something bothers me about that woman you introduced to me…"

"Who? Kirsten?"

"Yeah. I think I've seen her before…only her name wasn't Kirsten"

"Where do you think you recognize her from?"

Dom hesitated for a moment "I think I might have arrested her once"

Kel straitened and looked at Dom "What?"

"The year before you were my lord's squire, I arrested a woman by the name of Kaitlyn Andrews, she looked exactly like Kirsten"

"On what charges?"

Again, Dom hesitated "She was a maid for a noble. Apparently the two had a love affair and he fired her after the noble's wife caught them. She wanted revenge on him, and she forced magic on him, which is, as you know, a crown offence"

Kel was deep in thought "She didn't mention having the Gift"

"Do you really think she would have?" Dom said, "If she has a criminal record attached with her magic…"

"You said the woman you arrested was named Kaitlyn Andrews, right?"

"Right"

"Well, the woman I took in told me her name was Kirsten Nettie"

"It could be a cover up" Dom said

"No, it can't be"

"I still think…" Dom said

"Dom, if you are questioning the security I have on New Hope, I'd rather if you just leave my room"

"Kel, you know I trust you…and your security" Dom said "But were you wearing your griffin headband when she gave her name?"

"No, but…"

"Did you have her under a truth spell or truth drug?"

"No" Kel said again

"Then for all you know, she is lying"

Kel got up and opened the door "It's late, Dom. I think it is time we part for the night"

Dom sighed, but got up. Right before leaving, he bent down and gave Kel a kiss.

"Think about what I said"

**Ok peoples, it is time to review! By the way...I had 45 hits on the last chapter, and only 3 reviews. I really don't care what you put in your review. Say "Hey I read this story and I liked it"**** or "I read this story and I hated it" or even better, send suggestions. A simple 'I read it' is better then no review at all!**

**-Sarah aka 4-eyedDragon**


	4. A warning in a dream

**Chapter 4-A warning in a dream**

**AN 1: OK, so this would have been up a lot sooner, but fanfiction was being weird and not sending me my reviews…luckily I checked my stats of this story and saw 4 reviews had been sent.**

**AN 2: My first reviewer from chapter 3 was…(drumroll please) A Symphony of Sounds! This chapter is dedicated to you.**

**AN 3: Happy New Years! Welcome to year 2007!**

**Now, on with the chapter!**

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"We did it" Kaitlyn said collapsing on her bed late one night "It took near two months to do it, but we finally have the trust of Lady Kel and Lord Raoul"

In her mirror, Kaitlyn saw Burchard smiling "Good. How long until-"

"We are already halfway there" Kaitlyn said, "And don't openly say what we are up to, around here, the three of us are calling it 'the mission', and even that is barley said in public"

"Good to hear you three are being careful" Buchard said

"Master Buchard, I hate to cut us off, but it is late, and I need some rest"

"Of course, I understand" Buchard said

Kaitlyn broke the magical connection between the mirrors. She climbed into bed and was asleep in a matter of minutes. 

Kaitlyn was walking through a field she didn't recognize, she saw a woman up ahead and ran to her.

"_Mama!" Kaitlyn called. Her mother, in reality, had been dead for 25 years. She had died from pneumonia when Kaitlyn was 5 and Riley was 7. They lived with their father for the next 11 years until their father died, then Riley bought a small house and Kaitlyn moved in with him._

_Kaitlyn reached her mother, and hugged her tightly, absorbing her mother's faint scent of crushed rose petals._

"_Oh mama! I have missed you so much."_

_Her mother pulled away from her and looked at her solemnly_

"_You disappoint me Kaitlyn, you and your brother both" her mother's voice boomed in Kaitlyn's mind._

"_Mama. What do you mean."_

"_Helping the likes of Stone Mountain! You know what you are plotting to do is wrong! The gods are furious with you and Riley, Dylan as well. The Black God is permitting me to warn you. Turn away from this mission, run away from Buchard. If you stay on this path, you will loose at least one thing you hold dear to the Realm of the Dead by the end of this year."_

"_Mama, what can I do? Master Buchard is paying me good money to do what he has asked of me. He has given me a fine mount and 150 gold nobles. Once the job is complete, I have been promised 300 gold nobles. Mama, a fine mount for keep and 450 gold nobles is not something I can turn away from."_

"_You would give up the life of your baby to have answers to financial troubles?"_

"_My baby? What baby?"_

"_The child you are carrying, yours and Dylan's baby."_

"_Dylan? Dylan and I are going to have a child?"_

"_Place your hand on your stomach" her mother instructed._

_Kaitlyn did as she was told. She felt a light kick. Her eyes were wide when she looked at her mother._

"_I must go now Kaitlyn, pay heed to my warning, I may not get another chance until it is too late."_

"_Mama! Wait! Mamma come back!"_

Kaitlyn woke up, panting. She found herself in the small room Kel had given her. She could smell crushed rose petals, and when she looked at her feet, she saw a few petals lying on the ground. She was sweating and panting hard. Her hands flew to her stomach and felt a kick.

"Oh gods" Kaitlyn breathed

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****Anybody else feel that chill go down their spine when Kaitlyn's mom gave that warning? Maybe it was just me…oh well. I muxt admit, I don't like this chapter as much as others, but when authors say they don't like chapters, I usually love them...any of you feeling that way? Now to thank all my fabulous reviewers!**

**A Symphony of Sounds: **I am glad you liked the chapter…hopefully you like this chapter as well and my future chapters to come. Thank you once again for submitting the first review. Kel and Dom stories are my favorite too! Even though the romance isn't the main part of the story,

**Pie of Doomeh: **Thanks for the review. I am glad that you have the your review me, I review you policy. I think I have already reviewed to your stories, but I'm going to check and make sure that I have. I am glad you are loving the story so far, I hope you keep loving it. I agree with you, Dom is so smart. YAY! I am on the list of all your things? Thank you so much! When I read that, I was tempted to dedicate this chapter to you, but I promised the dedication to the first reviewer and you were the second, sorry, I have to keep my morals.

Eclipsa: Thanks for the review, I am very glad that you are still interested in this story…has the new chapter increased your interest? Let me know!  
Theknightofkonaha: I am glad that you read it and loved it! Hopefully you continue loving it! 


	5. YOU WHAT!

**Chapter 5-YOUR WHAT!**

**My first reviewer for this chapter was...ArtsieGirlie! Thanks for the review! This chapter is dedicated to you!**

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The next morning, Kaitlyn hunted down Dylan. She found him in the practice courts.

"Dylan!" Kaitlyn called.

He turned around "Oh, hi Ka-Kirsten."

"Can we talk?"

"Sure."

Dylan and Kaitlyn walked to Kaitlyn's room. She placed a magical shield up in the room.

"Sit down Dylan" Kaitlyn said.

"Wow, this is serious."

Once he was seated on Kaitlyn's bed, Kaitlyn took a deep breath.

"I don't know who to put this carefully, so I am just going to blurt it out."

"Ok" Dylan said "Kaitlyn, are you alright?"

"No…I mean yes…I mean I'm not sure."

"Which is it?"

"I'm not sure" Kaitlyn took a deep breath "Dylan, I'm pregnant."

Dylan's eyes locked on Kaitlyn's "Your pregnant? When did this happen?"

Kaitlyn hesitated before answering "My guess is 2 months ago on your bed. The night before you and my brother went your separate way from me

"But we only slept together once!"

"I know."

Dylan's jaw dropped "You are pregnant…and I'm the father?"

Kaitlyn nodded as tears flowed from her eyes "We have to run away from Buchard, we have to abandon our promise."

Dylan stood up and walked over and held Kaitlyn close, she sobbed into his tunic "We have to stay with the mission, now more than ever. We'll need money for the baby."

"No, you don't understand" Kaitlyn said "The gods are mad at us."

"How can you possibly know that?"

"I…my mother came to me last night."

Dylan held Kaitlyn at arm's length.

"Kaitlyn, your mother has been dead for almost 26 years. How could you have seen her?"

"I…I saw her in my dreams. But you don't understand, I could feel her, I held her and she held me!" Kaitlyn was in hysterics at this point "I talked with her Dylan! Do you know how special that was for me?"

"How? Unless your mother is a lesser goddess…"

"No, she is in the Realm of the Dead, she told me so. I'm telling you Dylan, it was her, I could smell crushed rose petals when I was close to her, and when I woke up, I could smell the petals and found these"

She walked over to the basin and brought out the 5 or 6 rose petals

"Dylan, my mother said that if we don't get out of this, something I hold dear will be lost. All I have of value is you, our baby, and my brother"

"Kaitlyn, it was just a dream, don't worry about it" Dylan said "I'm fine, your fine, Riley is more than fine, and our baby will be fine"

"How long are we fine for though?" Kaitlyn said "My brother will be furious when he finds out we shared a bed. What if he kills you in the anger, or he storms out and is so blinded by his anger that he lands himself dead? How do we know there is nothing wrong with the baby?"

"Relax" Dylan said "Everything will be alright. After we tell your brother, we'll take you to a healer, they will tell you the baby is fine"

Kaitlyn nodded "We have to tell Riley"

"Ok."

Dylan kissed Kaitlyn on the forehead. She dropped the shield on the room and the two friends walked out of the room.

* * *

"YOU TWO DID WHAT!"

"Riley be calm about this" Kaitlyn said.

"I am being calm! Dylan isn't dead is he?"

"Riley…" Dylan stepped forward.

"Stay away from me! I thought we were friends!"

"We are!" Dylan said

"Friends don't sleep with other friend's baby sisters!"

The door busted open. Raoul and a few members of the Third Company came in

"What is going on here?" Raoul demanded

"Nothing sir" Riley and Dylan said quickly

"That is a right out lie" Raoul said, "I heard you yelling all the way out on the gate"

"Sir, you know that Ka-Kirsten is my sister right?"

"Yes" Raoul said

"She and my ex-friend over there are apparently lovers. Now Kirsten is pregnant"

"This is a personal matter" Raoul said "I leave you two settle it like the mature men I know you must be because Jon told me to let you on."

On that note, the members of the Own left. Before leaving Raoul turned around "By the way, if I find you are disturbing the peace of New Hope in order to handle this, I will come and handle it and neither of you will like the way I handle it. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir" Riley and Dylan said

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**Review Replies**

**ArtsieGirlie:** Thanks for my first review! I am glad that you enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope you enjoy the new chapter as much

**Pie of Doomeh** I am glad you loved the chapter. It's alright you took so long to review, look how long it took for me to post! As for the reviews, I was glad to review, your stories were awsome! Yum!!! Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream! (I agree, ice cream rules the world!...and chocalate, you can't forget the chocolate)

E**lfsquire90** I'm glad you like it

**theknightofkonaha** Glad you loved it! I hope you love this chapter!


	6. Author's Note and Apology

Author's Note

This goes out to all my reviewers...

I am so sorry that it is taking do long to update my chapter on this story, my computer wasn't working and now I have lost the original disk that I had written the story on to. Again, I am sorry about the wait, but it will only last until I re-write the story on to a new disk (or I find the old one, whichever comes first)

Thanks for being so patient!

4-EyedDragon


	7. Accusations

Hello to all my faithful reviewers! I am, from the bottom of my heart, very sorry that it took forever to post this next chapter. If you read the Author's Note that came before this chapter, you know why it took so long. So, again, I am sorry. I had gotten my computer working (finally) and then I found the disk (Yay!) and then my computer didn't work for me again (Boo!). So, anyway, enjoy the new chapter!

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theknightofkonaha was my first reviewer for chapter 5. Thank you so much for the review, this chapter is dedicated to you!

**

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**Chapter 6-Accusations**

For the past two months, Dom and Kel had been barely maintaining being civil with each other. Raoul, Tobe, Neal, and Merric were sick of it. Neal and Merric had cornered Kel in her rooms and Raoul had brought Dom in

"Both you sit down" Raoul instructed

"Raoul, what is this about?" Kel asked, hands on her hips

"Sit down Keledry" Raoul said, his voice almost to the point of growling

Kel obeyed

"Ever since the first morning the Own have been here, the two of you have been barely capable of acting civil with each other." Raoul said "Now I want to know what happened"

"Nothing happened" Kel said "Can we go now?"

"No" Neal said, "The two of you are not leaving until you have work out whatever silly argument you to had"

"There is nothing silly about Domitan saying I don't know how to protect my own people"

Raoul gave Dom a questioning look.

"That is not what I said sir" Dom said quickly "I simply told her that she could be getting fooled"

"About?" Neal prodded

"That woman who arrived the same day we did" Dom said "I think she is a woman I arrested six years ago"

"It was six years ago" Kel said, "How can you possibly remember someone you arrested six years ago?"

"Lord Raoul, doesn't she look like that one woman that we arrested? The one who forced magic on a former employer of hers?"

"I knew she looked familiar" Raoul said

"You are forgetting one small detail" Kel said "The two women have _completely_ different names!"

"It could be a name she is using. If she is in hiding, she won't be giving her name to the public" Dom said "You did say that she wasn't questioned with your band or on a truth spell or drug"

"I saw no need to question her! She has had a hard life! What does she have to hide from anyway?" Kel asked "It's not like she ran away before her trial or sentencing or something"

Dom shuffled his feet "Actually...she did. She got away before we even reached Corus. She was last seen riding off with two hooded figures"

"It is probably a coincidence the two women look alike" Kel said "Or maybe she is related to the woman, looks do run in a family"

"You know, come to think about it..." Neal said

"Neal, don't go siding with them" Kel said

"I'm sorry Kel, but she acted really weird around all the members of the Own, and a few of the members of the Own gave her really weird looks...almost as if they recognized her"

"This is circumstantial evidence-" Kel said

"Very _good_ circumstantial evidence" Neal interrupted

Kel glared at Neal "Unless you can give me a good reason to keep an eye on her..."

"Um...I think I can give some good evidence lady" Tobe said

Kel, Raoul, Neal, and Merric gave Tobe looks of curiosity

"Yes Tobe?" Kel asked

"When she arrived, I overheard her talking with those two new men of the Own and-"

"Wait" Kel said "You said you overheard this conversation? You were to far away to overhear...but there were some horses right there. Tobe, did you by chance use the horses to eavesdrop?"

Tobe hung his head "Yes lady"

"Diane told you to never use your horse magic to invade privacy"

"Harp on him about it later Kel" Neal said "Go on Tobe, what did you find out?"

"The golden-haired man called Kirsten Kaitlyn" Tobe said "At the time, I didn't think about it, but now..."

All eyes were on Kel

"Does that give you the evidence you need?" Raoul asked

"Fine" Kel said "I'll keep an eye on her. But when she turns out to be as innocent as I think she is, you three are going to hear me gloating for a very long time...and I'll expect an apology from each of you for doubting my security on New Hope"

"I hope we are wrong about her Kel" Raoul said "I really hope we are"

* * *

(Kaitlyn's room)

"What is the next step?" Riley said "I think we have let you waste enough time with this pregnancy Kaitlyn"

"I hardly enjoyed it" Kaitlyn shot back

News of Kaitlyn's pregnancy had spread quickly though out all of New Hope. All the mothers in New Hope had started doing everything they could to wait on her, making it really hard to get a moment alone with her brother and fiancé ( by the way, Raoul had NOT agreed to the marriage, so Dylan had left the Own and was staying with Kaitlyn. They were going to be married in 3 months).

"Moving on" Dylan said loudly "When are we going to send Lady Keledry out of here? You are going to deliver in 6 months, and I would like us to have our own property when this baby is born"

"I still think we should just run off. Maybe go to the Yamani Islands or the Carthank. Or even Tyra, Tusaine, Scanara, or Galla. There is also Carthank. We could leave Tortall and Buchard would be none the wiser. Or, we could stay here at New Hope. Now that we have Kel and Raoul on our side, we have protection"

"Do you really believe they will protect us when they find out what we had been plotting?" Dylan asked

"They might" Kirsten said shyly

"No they won't" Dylan said "What we are doing falls into the category of treason. And you are already a wanted woman Kaitlyn"

"They don't remember something that happened six years ago" Kaitlyn said "Too much has happened for them to have remembered"

"Those people are knights" Dylan said "If they find out we even _attempted _treason, we will be-"

"We will be tied up in chains and on our way to our trials in Corus within the hour" Riley interrupted

"Exactly. The two of us won't be able to help you escape a second time Kirsten" Dylan said " Because if our cover gets blown, we'll be in chains with you"

"Well how can we trust Buchard won't turn us in once we give him what he wants? We all know there is a big reward for those who turn in traitors"

"He wouldn't do that" Dylan said

"I think he would" Kaitlyn said

"Kaitlyn, you are pregnant and stressed. You just need to clear your head, and I know you will agree with us" Riley said

"Alright" Kaitlyn said "I will take a nap, and then we will start planning to get Lady Kel and Lord Raoul out"

"We have another problem though" Dylan said

"What?" Kaitlyn asked

"What about the new guests that have arrived?"

That afternoon, New Hope had been filled so much that Kaitlyn was surprised there was any rooms left in New Hope. Alanna the Lioness and Baron George of Pirate's Swoop, Duke Barid of Queenscove, Numair and Diane Salmalin, and Lady Buri of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak had all arrived between dinner last night and lunch this afternoon.

"What about them?" Riley asked

"Won't they get in the way?"

"No" Kirsten said

"And if they do-" Riley fingered the handle on his dagger, a smug look on his face as he tossed a sheathed knife to Dylan, who caught it"-they won't be alive long enough to tell anyone what they witness"

* * *

Review Replies:

theknightofkonaha: I am glad you like it and I am glad you consider it to be dramatic! I hope the end of this chapter did a good job of adding to the drama factor :-)

Elfsquire90: I am glad you enjoy the story...I am sorry about the spelling mistakes.

Pie of Doomeh: I am glad you enjoy the story so much! I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

ArtsieGirlie: I am glad you still like the story, and I hope you continue to like the new chapter!

tamorapiercerulz: I am so happy that you are enjoying the story! I hope you enjoy the next chapter as much! I was really excited when I saw a new reviewer. As much as I love my old reviewers, I enjoy new reviwers even more!


	8. The first victim of the god's rage

**My first reviewer was...theknightofkonaha. This chapter is dedicated to you!**

**

* * *

Chapter 7-The first victim of the Gods' rage**

"_KAITYLN ANDREA ANDREWS!"_

_Kaitlyn's mother's booming voice pounded in Kaitlyn's head_

"_You were warned, and yet you still don't back down! I can not believe you are my daughter, my daughter would never be so selfish!"_

"_Mother, you said the gods were going to kill someone if we didn't turn away, yet everyone close to me that was alive when you warned me is still alive today. The gods must have a sick sense of humor or something"_

"_The gods do not jest about this sort of thing. You say everyone close to you is fine, does that mean your brother is no longer close to you?"_

"_Riley? Riley isn't dead, I just saw him"_

"_Are you sure he isn't dead"_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Your brother went out for a ride after he left your room, and here is what he looks like now"_

_Things in her dream grew dark and then a new image was formed. They were in the forest just outside New Hope and the first thing she saw was Riley pinned to a tree by 8 or 9 knives. His horse was gone. Kaitlyn noticed an arrow was shot in Riley's throat._

"RILEY!" Kaitlyn screamed in her sleep

"Kaitlyn! Kaitlyn, wake up!"

Kaitlyn continued to roll around in her sleep and screaming. Dylan leaned down and slapped Kaitlyn across the face. She woke up at once, her cheek hot from the slap she had received.

"Kaitlyn, what's wrong?"

"Riley is dead!"

"No, Riley is fine" Dylan said "It was just a nightmare, don't worry about it"

It seemed so real" Kaitlyn sobbed

"Shhh...I know...shhhh Everything is alright" Dylan said

Just then, there was a knock on Kaitlyn's door. She answered it. Kel was at the door.

"Kaitlyn, I...I need you to come with me to the gate. One of our patrol parties found something you need to see..."

* * *

Ok, so Riley's funeral is coming up in the next chapter...a little sad, a little humor, and a little romance all in one...keep an eye out for it! All I need is three reviews

* * *

Review Replies

theknightofkonaha: I'm glad you liked this chapter. Keep an eye out for the newest one coming as soon as I have 3 reviews. Thats again for the first review :)

Pie of Doomeh: I can assure you, Tobe WILL live...if there is someone who is crazy enough to kill Tobe, they belong in a room with white bouncy walls and in a straitjacket for their own protection. You are right, Tobe is way to cool to kill off.

Merlins-Wolf: Thank you for reading and sending a review. I hope you like the next chapter


	9. One down, two to go

**Chapter 9-One down, two to go**

The funeral was held 3 weeks later at dawn. Out of respect for Riley's memory, Raoul had told all the men of the Own that there would be no practices or drills that morning. All the knights were in full mail and the members of the Own were in uniform. The flags of New Hope were at half-mast.

After the funeral, everyone at New Hope went to a nearby field for the burial

(Kaitlyn's Thoughts)

_This is entirely my fault. If I had pushed them harder, they would have caved and we would have ran from Buchard. I am so sorry Riley, it is all my fault you are dead_

(Dylan's Thoughts)

_I am so sorry Riley. This is entirely my fault. Kaitlyn wanted us to give up, but I was too pig-headed to allow it. Because I was so pigheaded, I have lost one of my best friends, and I have killed the last of my lover's family. I am all she has__¼__well the baby and I are all she has now. I wouldn't blame Kaitlyn if she wanted to end our engagement, I deserve it for killing the only family she had since she was 15._

(Kel's Thoughts)

_That could easily be Dom's body going into the ground. Great Mother Goddess and Mithros, I ask you to watch over Dom. He and I belong together. We need each other. Please don't take him away from me._

(Dom's Thoughts)

_With all the stupid things Kel does for the civilians at New Hope, she could end up just like Riley__¼__I can't loose her, I just can't. I love her too much, and I know what I need to do__¼_

(Raoul's Thoughts)

_Kel is like a daughter to me, and Dom is practically my son. Please Mithros, keep them from this fate at such a young age, they both have so much to offer each other, to offer you, they have so much to offer the world._

(Neal's Thoughts)

_I'm hungry__¼__when do we eat?_

(Yuki's Thoughts and POV)

_My husband is probably thinking something stupid and selfish__¼__where is my fan?"_

I found my fan and hit Neal over the head

"What was that for" he whispered

"You were thinking something stupid!" I hissed at him

"No I¼How did you know that?"

"Meathead, shut up!" Kel hissed

(After the funeral, in Kaitlyn and Dylan's rooms. Dylan's POV)

Kaitlyn and I were sitting on the bed we shared. I hadn't gotten up the nerve to speak since the funeral. She must hate me, after all, it's entirely my fault her only family is gone.

"Kaitlyn, I have been thinking about our mission, and-"

"Dylan, stop" Kaitlyn said "I've been thinking about the mission too."

There was an uncomfortable silence for a minute

"And? Did you decide anything?"

"Yes" Kaitlyn said "We have to finish this. We have to finish it for Riley"

"No" I said shortly

"Dylan, we have to!" Kaitlyn snapped

"No Kaitlyn! Absolutely not!" I snapped "I lost someone very special to me a few weeks ago-"

_"You _lost someone close to you a few weeks ago? Was Riley _your_ brother? Was Riley the one who gave what _you_ needed in order to live for 3 years until _you_ were 18 after both of _your_ parents died? No, he was _my _brother. He was the one who kept _me_ alive! So don't even go down the road of you lost someone special. I wouldn't even be standing here today if it wasn't for him!"

I was in shock. Kaitlyn had never lashed out at anyone like that before, especially me.

I walked over to Kaitlyn "I'm so sorry Kaitlyn, I was being selfish. Of course this must be harder for you"

Kaitlyn turned and cried into my shirt. I just sat there silently. After a few moments, Kaitlyn lifted her head. Her eyes were now pink and puffy "Kaitlyn, this is mission is why Riley is dead. I do not want to have to attend another funeral like that for a _very_ long time. Especially if it is _your_ funeral I will be attending"

"I don't want to loose you either, but if¼"

Kaitlyn's eyes filled with tears all over again. She quickly wiped her eyes and took deep breaths before continuing "After my parents died, Riley told me 'only a fool cries over the past, because the past is something we can't change.' Riley's death is in the past. If Riley were still alive, we would be figuring out how to finish the job."

I sighed, then nodded "Ok, we'll finish. For Riley"

"For Riley" She agreed

(Meanwhile, in Neal's office)

Alanna, George, Duke Barid, Numair, Diane, Buri, Lord Wyldon, Jon and Thayet (Who were there for the funeral) Neal, Yuki, Dom, Kel, Tobe, and Merric were in Neal's office. There were no patients at the time, which was making Neal weird (well, weirder than usual). They had mostly been catching up on what everyone had been up to¼but every once in awhile, the conversation drifted to the funeral and how life is so short, which always ended in an uncomfortable silence.

After one _very_ uncomfortable moment of silence, Dom grabbed Kel's hand.

"Kel, during the funeral, I had been thinking. I thought about how Riley died far too young and I realized we are only on this world for as long as the Black God permits if, gods forbid, I die tomorrow, I want to die knowing you know what my heart has been screaming at me to tell you for years"

"Dom, what are you saying?" Kel asked

Raoul cleared his throat loudly, Dom turned to him with a questioning look on his face.

"One knee" Raoul muttered, trying to cover it up as a cough

Dom continued to look confused. Neal walked over and hit Dom in the forehead before whispering something in his ear.

"Oh" Dom said quietly, turning slightly pink.

Dom went down on one knee if front of Kel "Kel, will you marry me?"

All eyes were on Kel. Finally, she spoke.

"Dom, stand up"

Dom looked slightly hurt as he rose

_Is she going to reject me? I've never been rejected by any girl before...of course, I've never proposed to a girl before but that isn't the point!_

Once he was standing up, Kel flung her arms around Dom and kissed him gently on the lips

"Does that mean yes?" Dom asked

"No..." Kel said "_This_ means yes..."

Kel gave Dom a passionate kiss, which he was quick to match the passion. They then realized that everyone was clapping or cheering or both

"It's about time!" Neal shouted over the cheers "I thought you two lovebirds would _never_ get engaged"

"I'm sorry that I don't have a ring for you Kel, this was sort of a spur of the moment thing"

"That's alright" Kel said, "We are still engaged"

"Kind of like Dylan and Kirsten, they don't have a ring either" Dom said

"Speaking of Kirsten¼" Raoul said

"Yes Raoul" Kel said "I have been keeping my eye on her"

"Why have you been watching her?" Alanna asked

"Raoul and Dom have-no offense you two- taken one too many blows to the head..."

"Hey!" Raoul and Dom said

Kel ignored them "...and think Kirsten isn't who she says she is" Kel explained "Then, they managed to convince Neal and Tobe"

"Tobe had good evidence" Neal pointed out

"Tobe used his horsemagic to eavesdrop" Kel retorted

"You did what?" Diane asked Tobe, her eyebrows raised

"I'm sorry Diane, I couldn't resist"

"Give him a break Diane" Numair said "I can think of a certain maglet of mine who used animals to eavesdrop on a _private _conversation between the Baron of Pirate's Swoop and his wife once"

"Excuse me?" Alanna asked, "What conversation was this?"

"Never mind, it's in the past" Diane said quickly "Raoul, why is it such a big deal if this woman is giving a false name?"

"If she is who we think she is, she has been wanted by the crown for the past six years...and I have never have taken a blow to the head Kel"

"Diane, you and I are going to talk later about what you heard" Alanna said in a falsely sweet voice "As for right now, Kel, what have you noticed about Kirsten?"

"I've noticed that she wakes up and walks the perimeter of New Hope before she goes into the mess hall for breakfast. After breakfast, she helps anyone she can with whatever they need help with. She eats dinner and then retires to her rooms for the night. This is a daily routine with her"

"Anything else?" Raoul asked

"She spent a lot of time in her room with Dylan and-when he was alive-Riley" Kel said "From what I can see, the only thing she is guilty of is lending a helping hand. I would trust Kaitlyn with my life"


	10. The skills of a Player

(A few weeks later)

Dylan and Kaitlyn were riding away from New Hope. They each had a small refugee child with them.

"Does Lady Keledry know where we're going?" a small girl named Leah asked

"No, but don't worry. You're with us. We'd never let anything happen to you"

"But we'll be in a lot of trouble if anyone knows we left without permission" a small boy named Caden said

"The guards on the wall didn't stop us did they?" Dylan asked

"No" the kids said together

"Then there is nothing to worry about, the guards obviously trust us"

The truth was that after Kaitlyn and Dylan had gotten them in their saddles, she used a little bit of her magic to make the children invisible until they were out of the sight of the guards on the wall.

"I guess that's true" Leah said slowly "If the guards didn't trust you, then they wouldn't have let you take us out of New Hope"

"Exactly" Kaitlyn said in a sweet, motherly kind of voice "Also, I am going to be having my own child in a few weeks, do you really think I would let a child get hurt when I'm about to have one of my own?"

"I…I guess not" Leah said

"Look, you see that clearing over there? That is where we will stop" Dylan said

(About 10 minutes later, back at New Hope)

Kel had been sitting at her desk writing a report on New Hope progress to Lord Wyldon when Kailtlyn ran into the room

"Lady Kel!"

"Kirsten, what is it? You look upset"

"Two small refuge children...they've ran off"

"What!" Kel asked as she jumped from her seat

"They just...they ran off. I tried to stop them, they promised me they would be right back, but...that was so long ago, I'm beginning to worry"

"Don't worry Kirsten, I'll get them back here" Kel said "Go and lay down, Worry and stress is not going to help you or the baby...and I don't want Neal on me because I didn't make sure you took care of yourself"

"Alright, I think I'll go relax for a bit"

Kel ran out of the office. Kaitlyn watched as she ran into the stables before riding to the gate, talking to the guards briefly, and riding out through the now open gate.

Kaitlyn slowly counted to one hundred before leaving the office and going to the barracks that had been built for the soldiers of New Hope and for the King's Own. She knew-from what Dylan said-where Dom's room was and where Raoul's room was. he decided to go to Raoul's room first. When she got there, she saw Raoul, Buri, Dom, Alanna, George, and Neal.

Kaitlyn thought as she went into the same act she had just used on Kel "My lord Raoul!" 

Everyone in the room looked up at Kaitlyn

"What can I do for you Kirsten?" he asked

"It's Lady Keledry sir" Kaitlyn said

Dom, Neal, and Raoul jumped from their seat

"What's wrong with her?" Dom asked

"Is she hurt?" Neal asked

"No, it's nothing like that, she's fine...at least, I think she's fine"

"What do you mean you _think_ she's fine" Raoul asked "Where is she?"

"That's just it sir, I don't know" Kaitlyn said "I found out that two small children had some how snuck out of the camp, so I told Lady Keledry, but that was nearly an hour ago, and there has been no sign of her or the children"

"Kel's ridden with the guards on their patrols so many times, she knows these woods really well. It can't be she's lost" Dom said

"Did she take anyone with her?" Raoul asked

"No sir" Kaitlyn said

"Come on Raoul, she's a knight, not some soft noble girl" Alanna said "Why would she take guards with her"

"Sir, I am going to go look for her...she's my fiancé" Dom said

"You're not going alone" Raoul said "I'm coming too"

"Me too" Neal said "I'll get my father to watch over the infirmary while we're out"

Soon after Raoul, Neal, and Dom ran out of the room, Alanna and George left. Kaitlyn followed them.

She took the hall that went the opposite way of Alanna and George when someone grabbed her. Dylan came out of the shadows "I heard a bit of what you did with Lord Raoul. It was very impressive"

"Really? Do you think so?"

"You definitely had the skills of a Player" Dylan said "Did you ever think of going towards that kind of a career?"

"No I hadn't actually" Kaitlyn said "If we make it out of this whole mess with Buchard alive..."

"Not if" Dylan said "When"

"Dylan, if we're caught..."

"Relax will you Kaitlyn?" Dylan said "We've been careful not to attract attention this long, we'll be careful to the end there is nothing to worry about"


	11. He's Back!

**Chapter 10: He's Back!**

"Lady Kel, we told you already, we didn't sneak out!" Leah said.

"Yeah, the guards saw us leave with Dylan and Kirsten" Caden said.

"Kirsten told me you two left on your own" Kel said "You two know I don't take being lied to easily."

"We aren't lying!" Leah said.

"Kirsten also told us that you had been gone an hour when we left to find you, and you told us that we found you about ten minutes after you left" Dom said "I don't doubt that someone is lying, but I don't think it's these two."

"I say you ask the guards who were on the gate when they left" Raoul said.

* * *

**(Back at New Hope)**

"Are you sure you are up for this Kirsten?" Dylan asked.

"Honestly? No" Kaitlyn said "But we might not get another chance."

"I swear, if this does anything to you or the baby, I'm going to hunt Burchard down and kill him."

"Dylan, I'll be careful."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Alright, do it."

Kirsten took a deep breath and closed her eyes, stretching out her faint gift as far as it could go. She saw several fires of gifts; a black one, two green ones, a violet one, and a blue one.

Kaitlyn eye's fluttered open "I...I can't do this."

"Why not?" Dylan asked.

"If I take the gifts around me, I'll take the king's gift too."

"So? He has a powerful gift _and_ the Dominion Jewel" Dylan said "And you are only taking a little right? Not enough to hurt him?"

"Yeah, it's just a little bit, but..."

"Loosing a little of his gift isn't going to do anything to him" Dylan said "Now do it already, Kel and everyone could be back soon, then we have some explaining to do."

"You're right" Kaitlyn said. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes again.

She could see the fires again. Slowly, she stretched her gift out, so it was taking in the five stronger gifts at one time.

_Power_. It was the greatest thing Kaitlyn had ever felt in her life. She wanted...no, she _needed_ more. Her gift began taking more and more of the other gifts, making their fires weaker and weaker. Yes, power felt good.

* * *

**(In the infirmary)**

Duke Baird was sitting in the office connected to the infirmary. Yuki was sitting with him serving tea.

"I just don't see how you get use to it" Yuki said "You and Neal are constantly surrounded by people who are hurt or sick. How do you do it?"

"Things that you find here don't seem so bad when you've been healing as long as I have" the duke replied "I have worked in the Tusaine War and the Scanran War."

"I suppose that would make minor injuries and viruses seem small" Yuki said.

Just then, Yuki noticed Duke Baird looked pale.

"Your grace? Are you feeling alright?"

Duke Baird collapsed before he had a chance to answer.

"Your grace!" Yuki exclaimed.

* * *

**(Back with Dylan and Kaitlyn)**

A shadowy form started to appear inside the swirl of magic. Beads of sweat were rolling down Kaitlyn's face.

"Kaitlyn? Kaitlyn, stop it, you are wearing yourself out" Dylan touched Kaitlyn's shoulder, and she flung him backwards into a wall. He fell unconscious, but Kaitlyn didn't even notice. She needed to collect more power.

* * *

**(King Jon and Queen Thayet's rooms)**

Thayet walked into the room with a letter. She looked up and saw Jon was reading.

"Hello grandpa" Thayet said.

Jon looked up from his book "Excuse me?"

"Kally is pregnant with her first child" Thayet said "I thought you should get used to the name."

Just then, Jon collapsed.

"Very funny Jon" Thayet said.

Jon wasn't moving.

"Oh, come on Jon, it's not like I'm pregnant again."

Just then, Thayet noticed Jon looked pale.

"Jon?"

Thayet walked over to Jon and knelt beside him. He was very pale and was sweating. He was still breathing, but his breaths were labored.

"Jonathan!" Thayet said. She jumped to her feet and rushed off towards the infirmary.

* * *

**(Kaitlyn and Dylan's room)**

He was a little more than a ghost now. He wasn't solid, but he wasn't see through either. He was more like a faint memory of an old friend. He was very handsome.

* * *

**(On the road)**

Kel, Raoul, Dom, and Neal were riding back with the children. They could faintly make out New Hope.

"So Kel, are you going to take our advice and question Kirsten?"

"I haven't decided yet" Kel said "If the guards story agrees with their story, I'll question her. If not...I don't know what I'll do. What do you think I should do Neal? Neal?"

Kel turned around in time to see Neal falling from his horse and hitting the ground.

"Neal!" Kel cried.

Dom turned around in his saddle as Kel leapt out of her own.

"What happened?" Dom asked.

"I don't know, I turned around and he fell out of his saddle" Kel said "Neal? I think he fainted."

"Come on, help me get him across his horse. We'll ride on either side and keep him in the saddle.

Once Kel and Dom were mounted on their own horses again, they continued at full speed towards New Hope.

* * *

**(Kaitlyn and Dylan's room)**

He now looked like a solid body. It was working, their plan would succeed! She and Dylan would be rich!

* * *

**(In a room somewhere inside New Hope)**

George and Numair played chess while Diane and Alanna sat down and talked to each other.

"Have you heard anything from Aly?" Diane asked.

"She and Nawat are trying to find the time to come out here and show off their twins, but their schedules keep them busy, him as a spy, and her as a spymaster."

"She still knows what is going on here" George said "Her spies are getting reckless, we've caught three in the past five months."

"Yes well, I'm sure her spies would much rather you arrest them and keep them here. Aly probably doesn't take her spies being reckless lightly."

"No self-respecting spymaster would" George said "Numair, it's your play."

Numair didn't seem focused, and he was slowly turning pale.

"Alanna? Are you alright?" Diane asked "George, Alanna is looking really pale and-Numair!"

Numair fell from the seat he was in onto the floor at the same time as Alanna slumped over the arm of the sofa she and Diane were sitting on.

"Lass?" george asked, getting up and walking over to Alanna "Lass, what's wrong? Wake up."

Neither Alanna nor Numair moved. Diane was waving a vial under Numair's nose.

"I don't get it! Wakeflower isn't working" Diane said.

"Are you sure it's actually Wakeflower?"

Diane walked over to George and shoved the vial under his nose. He recoiled "Yep, that's Wakeflower alright. What do you mean it isn't working?"

"He won't wake up."

"Here, give me it" George said. Diane handed the vial over to him. He waved it under Alanna's nose.

"Alanna, wake up" George said "Alanna, come on."

"I told you" Diane said.

"I know something that will wake her up...but she'll strangle me for it" George said "Alanna, Jon has just stopped by. He orders you to attend a ball tonight and you have to wear a frilly pink dress with lace and bows. I told him you'd be there."

Alanna still didn't move.

"Something isn't right here" George said "She should have woken up and strangled me for that."

"Let me try something" Diane said "Alanna, Jon has passed a new law saying no females are allowed to try for their shield, and you and Kel both have to give your shields up."

Alanna still remained motionless.

"Come on, we have to get them to the infirmary" George said "If you can take Alanna, I'll take Numair."

* * *

**(Kaitlyn and Dylan's room)**

The boy...no, he was definitely a man. Probably about 18 years old, walked out of the swirl of magic. slowly the power sunk away from Kaitlyn.

"Thank you Kaitlyn. You have done as my father asked. My father and I are in your debt."

Kel, Raoul, Dom, and the unconscious Neal rode through the gates into New Hope. Kel and Dom were leading, and each were on one side of Neal's horse, ready if Neal started to fall off the saddle.

Dom was the first to notice something odd about New Hope, and then he saw it.

"Uh, Kel?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you expecting any new refugees?"

"Dom, we stopped getting refugees when the war with Scanra ended" Kel said

"Why?"

"Because I don't recognize that man, and I thought I knew all the refugees" Dom said.

"What man?" Kel asked looking up, and then she saw him too. She pulled her horse to a stop "No., it-it's impossible."

"Hello Stump" a blonde-haired man said "Did you miss me?"

* * *

**Author's Note:** And that is the end of the story (reviewers come after me with flaming torches) "Ok, OK, I was kidding! This story will continue as long as you keep reviewing (reviewers return to their computer to review)

* * *

**REVIEW REPLIES**

_I would like to start by saying thank you to all my wonderful reviewers. It is your reveiws that keep me posting, so if it wasn't for you, I would never had updated past Chapter One. PLease keep reviewing, it really helps me._

deathequalsoul: I am glad that you seem to be enjoying the story, but I'm not giving the end away, so if you want to see how it ends, you have to keep reading (and reviewing, since I don't post without reviews)

klutzyspaz: To be completely honest, I didn't quite understand what you were saying in your review. It seemed like you were saying you liked it, but if you could clear it up in your next review, that would be great. It's reviews like yours that constantly remind me that reviewers usually are smarter than the writer so keep reviewing, maybe you could rub some of your smartness off on to me. Thanks for the review! The more reviews I get, the quicker I update

Krae Z. Rokke: Hmm...Kaitlyn as a Player. That was kind of a random line I had placed in, I haddn't really thought about it. That wasn't where I was planning on going, but I won't rule it out...maybe that is cause for a sequel.

Pie of Doomeh: As one of my oldest and favorite reviewers, your happiness is very important to me. It shouldn't be hard to keep you happy, since I NEVER planned on killing Kel. Keep reading and reviewing! By the way, the cookies you made start raining from the ceiling in your last review were yummy


	12. The Truth Comes Out

**Chapter 11: Truth Revealed**

**Author's Note 1:** I made a very big mistake in the last chapter...I referred to Kel as the Stump, not the Lump. If it hadn't been for my fabulous reviewers that pointed it out, I never would have known about it, because I didn't check the previous chapter before posting like I usually do. So thank you to my reviewers. Much thanks to the four reviewrs who corrected me (klutzyspaz, SarahE7191, Tears of Winter, and SOPROL )

**Author's Note 2:** I never got so many reviews for one chapter! Yay! Maybe I should threaten to end the story on a cliff hanger more often...

"No" Kel said "No, you're dead"

"Correction, I _was_ dead"

Just then, Merric ran to Kel "Kel, Joren is back from the dead!" he said

"Oh really? I hadn't noticed. I though the man in front of me was just an excellent simulacra of him" Kel said

Merric turned "Oh...you've seen him"

"Why did you let him in here!" Kel snapped

"I didn't. None of us did. He...he was already in"

"What?" Kel asked

"Allow me to explain" Joren said "I was brought back by a mage that _you_, Kel, let in"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean Kaitlyn Andrews" Joren said

"There is no one here with that name" Kel said

"Oh yes there is" Joren said "You just didn't know it. I believe you call her Kirsten Nettie? Her brother and friend helped too"

Kel grew cold inside _Dom and Raoul were right. Why didn't I listen to them? Why didn't I listen to Tobe? Why didn't I...no, I know why I didn't listen to Neal...he deserves the nickname of Meathead, THAT'S why I didn't listen to him_

"Merric...I want Kir-Kaitlyn and her husband locked up right away"

Merric walked away, shouting orders

"Come on" Dom said "Let's get Neal into the Infirmary. Uncle Baird can figure out what's wrong"

"Um...I don't think that's happening:" Raoul said

"Why not?" Dom asked

"_That's_ why not" Raoul said pointing inside. Kel and Dom walked in and found Duke Baird, King Jonathan, Alanna, and Numair were all unconscious on a bed in the infirmary

"What in the world?" Kel asked

"Here, we can put Neal over here" Diane said "You two do realize what's happening here, right?"

"No" Dom and Kel said as they placed Neal on the bed

"Look at everyone unconscious...what do they all have in common"

Dom and Kel looked at each person carefully

"They all have the Gift" Dom said

"Exactly" Diane said

"But...why aren't _you_ unconscious?" Kel asked

"Because" Diane said "I don't have the Gift. I have Wild Magic...most people _still_ don't believe it exists, so no one ever targets me..."

"Why aren't you unconscious George? Don't you have the Sight?"

"Yes, but it's not the same as the Gift.. There are very few things that affect the Gift that also affect Sight."

"Well, what happened? Does anyone know?"

Everyone shook their heads

"Roger" Raoul said suddenly

George, Buri, and Thayet looked at Raoul "Roger? As in Duke Roger?" George asked

Raoul nodded

"What about Roger?" George asked

"It's the same thing. Roger was dead, and then Alanna's twin brother brought him back...what if Kirsten-"

"Kaitlyn" Kel said "You were right, she was a fake"

"What if Kaitlyn brought Joren back the same way?" Raoul said

"You know, Thom was very powerful, and still didn't have enough powerto bring Roger back. He took Alanna's Gift" George said "Well, Kaitlyn's gift is so weak, I couldn't even tell it was there"

"So, if a powerful mage needed power...a weak mage would need lots of power" Kel said

"Wait" Diane said "Are you saying Joren is feeding on their powers, which he is getting from Kaitlyn?"

"It's as good a bet as any" George said

"So, Alanna, Numair, Nealan, Baird, and Jon's Gift are all workinjg together to keep Joren alive?" Thayet asked

Kel had dropped her Yamani Mask "Merric, do you remember what Takka said about a mage loosing his or her Gift? About what will happen?"

"Soon it would tap into their life source, and once that is gone-"

"They die" Kel said "And I'm willing to bet my shield that if they die, Joren won't"

* * *

**(Locked up in a room of New Hope)**

"What do you mean you can't get us out!" Joren yelled "My father isn't paying you to bring me back to life, just to have me spend it in a prison under the Yamani Lump's control!"

"I mean, my own gift is too small to get us out. When this place was built, the Black Robe mage spelled the room." Kaitlyn said "_You_ have all the powers I borrowed from everyone"

"Does that mean I have all the powers?"

"No, you have nothing. The powers are just simply keeping you alive"

"Well, you better figure out a way out of this. I am not staying here until they drag us off to the capital"

"Do you think we want to go there! _We_ are the ones in trouble! I am a fugitive who just basically is committing treason! I am killing the king with how much of his gift is leaving him and flowing through me into you!"

"And I forged the king's signature to get in to the Own and will more than likely be charged with aiding and abetting in treason" Dylan said "We are looking at the possibility of Traitor's Hill, while you are looking at going home to cozy little Stone Mountain!"

* * *

**(Back in the infirmary)**

Diane had gone back to her room and found all of Numairs books on magic. She, Thayet, and George were looking through them, trying to find something to help them. Dom and Raoul were trying to convince Kel that no one blamed her for what happened.

"I let her in, I didn't take what you two said seriously enough, and it was under my command that this happened" Kel argued, her Yamani Mask on. "I am the one who is responsible"

"Kel, it could have happened to anyone" Raoul said "This has happened in the palace before. When Jon's parents were still alive, a mage brought back Jon's cousin, who wanted to kill Jon, and one day take the throne. He made Jon's mother very sick, and she eventually died. Does that mean that King Roald was responsible for what happened?"

"I found something!" Diane said. Everyone surrounded her "I found something that will help us. It's an old charm that will restore the Gift to the rightful owner of the Gift"

"One problem" Thayet said pointing to a line on the page "We need someone with the Gift to make the charm work. It would take too long to reach someone with the Gift at the palace or university"

"We don't need to reach one. We already have one here"

"We have five, Diane" Raoul said "Unfortunately, none of them are conscious"

"I wasn't talking about them" Diane said

"Who were you talking about?" George asked

Diane bit her lip "I'll only tell you if you promise to keep an open mind about it"

"Alright, who are you talking about?" Thayet asked

"We still have Kaitlyn" Diane said

The room quickly filled with protests

"QUIET!" Diane called over all the noise

"Diane, even if we trusted her, she is the one killing them, why should she help bring them back?" Buri said

"Because we have something very valuable to her. Something she wants"

"What?" Everyone asked

"Come on, I have a plan"

* * *

**Review Reply**

SOPROL: You were right, it was Lump. I just didn't check my story before posting. Sorry, that was my fault

Tears of Winter Joren won't be in the story for long...I'm not saying if he is good or not, but he won't be there for more than a few chapters. I personally am not a Kel/Joren fan though, so I won't be pairing them up...anyway, I few chapets ago Kel and Dom got engaged, so she's taken. Yeah, it was kinda harsh with the whole 'give up your shields' thing, but that was really just George and Kel trying to wake them up. Jon never actually said that...I'll be working with that in a later chapter. Yeah, I know it was Lump. I just didn't check my story before posting. Sorry.

Pie of Doomeh: I'll take free virtual cooking anytime you want to offer it! Yum! cupcakes (Got any virtual brownies? I love brownies...oh! with frosting on top!)! Yes, Joren. Is. Alive! I agree...it is bad.I'm not telling you how much of their gifts that she got, you have to keep reading (evil, aren't I?). But don't worry, I personally think it should be a crime to kill Neal. Kel and Dom need him...who else will they call "Meathead"?

Lupin and Tonks Fan: I'm glad you are enjoying it. I think I explained the whole Gift vthing in the last chapter, burt please let me know if I didn't, and I'll try to figure out a better way to explain it.

SarahE7191: Yeah, I know it was Lump. I just didn't check my story before posting. Sorry. Glad you are enjoying the story. I'll try to catch any more mistakes like that before I update.

XxtomoyoXchan93xX: She brought back Joren on his father's orders (for money...and I mean SERIOUS money). I re-wrote that last part about three times before getting it like that, so thanks. It is good to know I didn't waste my time. Yeah, the part with george trying to wake alanna up was fun to write. I was laughing as I wrote it (I scared my family though)

JaBoyYa: I think you have figured out from the fact that Joren is in the story now that you were right, it was Joren, I'm glad you are enjoying it.

deathequalsoul: Thanks! The alanna and numair part had me laughing as I wrote it. I think I scared my family from laughing so much, bcause they couldn't see what I was doing.. If you didn't figure it out from the chapter above, the blonde-haired man was an 18 or 19-year old Joren, back from the dead.

klutzyspaz. Thank you for sharing your smartness with me, I felt smarter after reading your review. I'm glad you are enjoying it.Yeah, I know it was Lump. I just didn't check my story before posting. Sorry. I should have checked before updateing.

Krae Z. RokkeThanks!, I'm glad you enjoyed the story so far.You got it. Buchard's master plan was to pay Kaitlyn **BIG** bucks (well, nobles) to bring his son back.


	13. A choice

**Chapter 12:** A choice

Kaitlyn, Dylan, and Joren looked up when they heard the cell door. Kel and Raoul came in, Raoul was holding shackles in one hand

"Kaitlyn, Queen Thayet wants to see you" Kel said

"Her?" Dylan and Joren asked

"Me?" Kaitlyn squeaked

"Yes, you" Kel said as Raoul helped Kaitlyn up and locked the shackles on Kaitlyn's wrists

"Wait" Joren said as the two knights led Kaitlyn from the room. Kel turned and gave Joren a look of curiosity

"I'm the noble one here" he said "Doesn't the Queen want to see me?"

"No" Kel said "She wanted to see Kaitlyn, and only Kaitlyn"

Kaitlyn looked at Dylan, fear plan on her face. He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but it kept faltering and his eyes showed as much fear as Kaitlyn's

* * *

Kel and Raoul led Kaitlyn into the mess hall, they spent the whole time debating about something, acting as if Kaitlyn wasn't even there. Sitting at the head table of the hall was the queen, Diane and George were on either side of her. Dom was guarding the door, and Kel went to stand next to him while Raoul brought Kaitlyn right up before Thayet

"Your majesty" Kaitlyn said, doing her best to curtsy

"Kaitlyn Andrews, do you know why you have been brought here?" Thayet asked in a tone so cold, no one-not even Raoul, could remember a time when she had been colder

"No, your majesty, I do not know"

"Are you the mage who is draining the powers of my husband, his champion, Numair Salamin, Duke Baird of Queenscove, and Sir Nealan of Queenscove?"

"Yes, your majesty" Kaitlyn said

"Are you aware that, with the amount of power you are taking, you are slowly killing all of them?"

"Yes, your majesty"

"Are you aware that, as you are killing the king, this qualifies as treason?"

"Yes, your majesty"

"And I suppose you know the appropriate punishment for traitors?"

Kaitlyn swallowed hard "Traitor's Hill"

Thayet nodded "I, however, am willing to grant you a small form of freedom if you are willing to serve me"

_Freedom?_ Kaitlyn thought _Did she say freedom? I heard freedom. Freedom is a good thing...a very good thing_

"I am at your service, your majesty"

"Restore the Gifts to everyone that you have taken them from" Thayet said "If you do that, I'll talk to King Jonathan, and see to it that you do not go to Traitor's Hill"

_No Traitor's Hill? That means I live...living is good. I could actually watch my child grow up!_

"I will do as you have asked, your majesty"

"Let me make myself very clear, Kaitlyn Andrews. I will only speak on your behalf if you manage to help _everyone._ If even one of the mages you are killing die, the deal is off, and you go back to facing Traitor's Hill"

"What about Dylan?" Kaitlyn said "What about my husband? Will you spare him? He didn't actually commit the treason, he just helped with the planning, and it was more my brother than anyone else who did the planning"

"I will see what I can do, but you must not let anyone die"

"I won't your majesty" Kaitlyn said "When do I start?"

"Now" Queen Thayet said "You will go to the infirmary and start now"

* * *

**(Later that night-back in the "cell")**

Kaitlyn nearly fainted from exhaustion when she was returned to the cell. Dylan rushed over to help her, and laid her down gently

"Are you alright? What happened?"

"I'm-fine" Kaitlyn said "Just really weak"

"What did you do!" Joren yelled "I feel weaker than before! What didyou do wrong when you brought me back?"

"I didn't do anything wrong" Kaitlyn said "I'm returning the Gifts to those I took them from, and since the Gifts are what are keeping you alive, as they return to the people who they belong to, they leave you"

"You're returning the Gifts?" Joren asked "What happens when you return all the Gifts?"

"You will either die instantly, or grow very weak and will die slowly"

"My father-"

"Forget about Buchard! He got us into this mess. I am trying to save my neck and hopefully that of my husband's! I couldn't care less about what happens to you or your damn father!"

"What do you mean, save our necks?" Dylan asked

"They know how valuable freedom is for me and you. Queen Thayet promised that if I keep everyone from dying, she'll keep me from Traitor's Hill, and try to keep you from that fate as well"

"She did?" Dylan asked

"That's why she wanted to see me" Kaitlyn said "I completely restored the healer for here, and I am working on the king. I grew too weak to work halfway through King Jonathan. I'll be finishing with the king tomorrow"

* * *

**(Five days later-Midnight in Kaitlyn's cell)**

She had done it...everyone was alive and slowly recovering. Neal, King Jonathan, and Alanna were completely healed, and Alanna had gone back to practicing her sword work that morning.

"Hey Kaitlyn, are you sleeping?"

"No" Kaitlyn said "We are leaving for Corus tomorrow. When we get there, I'm going to be telling Buchard why his son isn't here, and then we have the trail. I'm too nervous to sleep"

"It'll be alright Kaitlyn. You saved everyone, and Joren is dead again. You will be spared from Traitor's Hill"

"But what about you?" Kaitlyn asked

"I hope I'll be able to help raise our son or daughter, but if I don't get that privilege...one parent is better than none"

"I suppose so" Kaitlyn said rubbing her stomach as she felt a sharp pain. They had been happening all night, and were happening sooner and sooner.

"You've been rubbing your stomach a lot, are you alright?"

"Yeah, my stomach is just really hurting"

"Could you be going into labor?"

"I don't know" Kaitlyn said "I hope not. I don't want my baby born in a cell"

As the night went on and turned into early morning, the pains got closer and more severe. Just as the sun was rising, she felt the floor get really wet below her.

"Oh no" Kaitlyn said

"What?" Dylan asked

"I...I think I was in labor last night. My water just broke" Kaitlyn said

"Guards!" Dylan yelled, banging on the door of the cell "Guards, we need a healer! My wife is giving birth!

* * *

**Reviewer's Choice!**

Alright, I want your opinion for the next part of the story...I need possible names for Kaitlyn and Dylan's baby. I'll tell you this much, it is a girl. So please, please, please send baby name suggestions when you review!

* * *

**Review Replies**

JaBoyYa: I'm glad you are enjoying this story. Well, it probably wasn't as entertaining as if Kel had killed Joren, but I had Kaitlyn slowly kill him by taking away the Gifts that were what was keeping him alive. Hopefully that wasn't a big disappointment?

SOPROL Diane's real name is Veralidiane, your right, but in the books, everyone calls her Diane, so I decided to do that in this story. Keep reading and reviewing, I love getting reviews from my fans

Pie of Doomeh: Yum brownies with frosting...and the sprinkles were an excellent touch! Yeah, Kaitlyn was their only hope, but she really cared about any form of freedom she could get, so that was what they had that she wanted, her freedom. Yeah, well Joren was an idiot by telling them who brought him back, but, like you said, it did make it easy to catch them. I'm glad you are enjoying this story

Kiarrhianna Wavedog: Yeah, I know it is suppose to be Lump, I didn't check before posting what I had written. At the beginning of the last review, I had included an apology for that mistake, but thank you for pointing it out. It is nice having reviewers who point out my mistakes, in case I miss them.

Elfsquire90: Yeah, you had said it was a good chapter, since you live with me sis, but it's always nice to get reviews.

Krae Z. Rokke: Well, I'm not giving any secrets away, but as I'm sure you can figure out, Buchard is not going to be happy KAitlyn re-killed his son when he finds out. You'll have to keep reading to find out what happens(and if you keep reviewing, you'll find out even quicker)


	14. Arriving in Corus

**As this is my last day of Summer Vacation, I decided to post this chapter. There is ONE more chapter following this, that will hopefully be up sometimer this week. If not this week, then next weekend for sure.**

* * *

_[FLASHBACK_

_Kaitlyn stared at the three small bundles in her arms. Three girls. The babies had been born in the cell, as it was too dangerous to move her to the infirmary safely before the babies were born, but she was now propped up on a bed in the infirmary, looking at her three little girls wrapped up warmly._

_Dylan sat down on the bed next to his wife, stroking her hair and smiling down at her_

"_How do you feel?" he asked_

"_Tired" Kaitlyn said "Dylan, just look at them!"_

"_Look, they all have your eyes" Dylan said "And I can tell they are going to be just like you"_

"_Hopefully not just like me" Kaitlyn said "I don't want these three being sent off to Corus on the charges of treason"_

"_I meant in looks" Dylan said_

"_We don't know that yet, they might get your hair" Kaitlyn said, as her eyelids started closing_

"_There is only one more thing we have to do before you sleep" Dylan said_

"_And what's that?" Kaitlyn asked, her eyes closed_

"_Name them" Dylan said "Any suggestions?"_

"_Their grandmothers?" Kaitlyn suggested as her eyes finally fell closed completely. My mother's name was Kaiya"_

"_My mother's name was Carly" Dylan said "What about the third? Should we name her after her mother?"_

_"Not Kaitlyn"_

_"Well then how about you use the name you had used before we were discovered? Kirsten"_

"_Hmm...Kaiya, Kirsten, and Carly, I like it." _

_"Now which one is which?" Dylan asked "Kaitlyn?"_

_Kaitlyn was already fast asleep. Dylan was reassured by her even breathing, and her chest rising and falling. He smiled at her as he pulled over a chair. He rested one of the triplets in his lap, and the other two were one in each arm. he carefully picked up the babies_

* * *

Kaitlyn was holding the triplet named Kaiya while Dylan held Carly and Kirsten. Suddenly, the door to Kel and Dom's rooms (magicked so they couldn't escape) opened, and Kel walked in.

"I just finished talking to Lord Raoul, who had talked to King Jonathan. Your being tried in about an hour, and then Buchard will come in and be sentenced with you two, as he paid you for your little act of treason"

"Alright" Kaitlyn and Dylan said

* * *

**(One hour later)**

The court session had been going on for about ten minutes

"...Kaitlyn, it was drawn to my attention that you are also a fugitive, you were arrested six years ago, but ran away before you were tried. Is this true"

"Yes, your majesty"

"How did you manage to escape?"

"I was rescued by my brother, and my new husband"

"Your brother had nothing to do with this treason?"

"He helped with it sire, but he was killed a few months ago"

Jon looked over at Thayet, whispered something to her. The queen nodded, and whispered back "You have the Crown's sympathies for your brother's death, as well as our congratulations on the birth of three healthy daughters"

"Thank you sire" Kaitlyn and Dylan said together

"Kaitlyn, on what charges were you arrested before you escaped?" Thayet asked

"I forced magic on my former employer" Kaitlyn said

"And your former employer was who?"

"The same man who paid me, my husband, and my brother 150 gold crowns each and provided us with three strong horses. The same man who promised an additional 300 gold crowns once the job was done" Kaitlyn said "Buchard of Stone Mountain"

"Buchard of Stone Mountain, please step forward"

Buchard came forward and bowed to the king and queen "Your majesties"

Jon and Thayet nodded in his direction

"Buchard, is what Kaitlyn Burns says is true? You paid 150 gold crowns to three people and gave them each a mount?"

"Yes, your majesty"

"Were they given instructions on what to do?"

"They were suppose to go to New Hope, and bring my son back from the dead"

"Are you aware of the measures that Kaitlyn Burns, her brother, and her husband went to in order to bring back your son?"

"No sir"

Jon looked over at Kel "Lady Knight Keledry, I believe you are aware of the events?"

"I am, your majesty" Kel said

"If you would please tell Buchard what happened?"

Kel handed one triplet to Dom, and Neal took the third child. Kel stood up. "Dylan Burns and the late Riley Andrews had a friend who works here at the palace. The friend gave Riley a copy of your signature, which he practice until he could forge it perfectly. Afterwards, they forged two notes supposedly from you to Lord Raoul, ordering them to join the Own"

"Raoul, do you have the notes?" Jon asked

"Not with me, but I do have them in my office" Raoul said "I can bring them to you after this trial is over"

"Please do so" Jon said "Lady Keledry, continue"

"While Riley and Dylan were working their way into the Own, Kaitlyn was already on the road to New Hope. Once she arrived there, she gave me a sad, but false, story, and I took her in. A few days later, the Own arrived, and the three were reunited. It is my belief they started planning that very day. Months went by, and they gained the trust of me and Lord Raoul. Then, almost a month ago, they kidnapped two refugee children, and left them in the forest, before sending me out after them as a distraction. They told a few caring friends I had been gone for a while, and my friends came after me, which got them out of the way. Next, it is assumed that Kaitlyn created a spell to feed the Gifts of others into her Gift. She then did the spell that brought Joren back"

"How many people, besides myself were affected?"

"Your Champion, Alanna the Lioness; New Hope's Healer, Sir Nealan of Queenscove; his father, the Cheif Healer of the Realm, Duke Baird of Queenscove; and Black robe mage, Numair Salamin." Kel said "Four in all, not including yourself, your majesty" Kel said "All of the Gifts were worn so thin, any one of you could have very easily died"

"Thank you Lady Keledry, you may sit down again."

Kel sat down, and took one of the triplets from Dom's arms

Jon turned back to Buchard "Forgery, kidnapping, and nearly five murders, my own included. This all came from your payment"

"Sire, I did not instruct any of that!" Buchard said "All I am guilty of is wanting my son, my eldest child, back with me. Is it now illegal for a father to miss his boy?"

"Kaitlyn, how is it that Joren is not here with us now?"

"The Queen came to me, and offered me slight freedom if I restored the five gifts. As any sorcerer or even a scholar would tell you, by taking away the Gifts that kept him alive, Joren slowly went back to non-existence"

"Yes, the queen told me about the deal, she said if you saved all five of us, you would not face Traitor's Hill, and she would speak on your husband's behalf as well"

Jon and Thayet went into a small conference, which also included the Lord magistrate. Minutes later, they emerged.

"Kaitlyn Burns, step forward"

Kaitlyn did as she was told

"I shall honor my wife's promise to you" Jon said "You have been charge you with attempted treason, attempted murder, and kidnapping. Do you deny any of the charges?"

"No, your majesty"

"I therefore sentence you to a life sentence of hard labor for your actions"

Kaitlyn looked about ready to protest, but evidently thought better of it "Yes, your majesty"

"Dylan Burns, step forward"

Dylan obeyed "You have been charged with forgery, aiding and abetting in attempted treason, and kidnapping, do you deny your charges?"

"No, your majesty"

"As your charges are not as severe as your wife's I sentence you to 16 years of hard labor beside your wife" Jon said

"Yes, your majesty" Dylan said with a small bow

"What of our children?" Kaitlyn cried out "What will happen to our daughters, they have no family!"

Thayet rested her arm on Jon's arm, he turned to her, as she whispered something to him

"My wife has suggested you choose their guardians for the time of your husband's sentence. I will go with her option, as I can not think of a better one"

Dylan leaned over "You decide, this is the last change you have to influence the way they grow up. After fifteen years, I can see them again"

Kaitlyn bit her lip "Lady Keledry. That is, if she would be willing to"

Kel looked at Kaitlyn surprised. Kaitlyn managed a smile "Even after Joren sold us out, Kel was still nice to me. When I was arrested, she made sure her men were careful. She made sure I was taken care of, and, when I went into labor, she made guards get the healer out of bed so the girls would be delivered safely. Lady Kel, I know you have every right to refuse my children shelter, but I want them to grow up differently from my life style. I want my children to have morals and know about justice. I want my children to grow up knowing their are other people-weaker people then themselves-in the world. Lady Kel, you have taught me all those things in the matter of 8 months, imagine what you could teach my three girls in 16 years"

"Lady Keledry? Do you agree?"

Kel glanced from Kaitlyn, to Raoul, to Neal, to Dom

"Go on Kel" Neal said in a low tone "You've taken on a Griffin and you took on Tobe, these three can be your next strays"

"Dom?" Kel asked "If I raise them, you'll be helping me after we are married in a few months. What do you think?"

"I'll agree with whatever you say" Dom said "You decide. I'll be out with the Own a lot of the time"

Kel looked back at Kaitlyn, and saw the pleading look in Kaitlyn's eyes "Alright, I'll take the three girls"

"Good, now that that is settled...because the kidnapping was part of their plan to help you, Buchard, you are technically at fault for the disturbance it caused. Guards were taken off their break to look for the children, and Lady Keledry had to leave New Hope to go find the two that were lost. You are therefore fined 200 gold crowns. You do not, however, have to pay Kaitlyn and Dylan the additional 300 gold crowns each, as that money would be useless while they are serving their sentences" Jon said "Lady Keledry, when were you planning on returning to New Hope?"

"In a week, sir"

"If, by the eve before you leave, Buchard has not paid you the fine, come to me" Jon said "Buchard, if I hear of you not paying her, the fine will be raised an additional third of what it is now"

"Yes sir" Buchard said with a bow

"This court is over. Kaitlyn and Dylan Burns will go down to the dungeons for a week until the next cart going to where they will be working leaves the capital"

Everyone filed out of the courtroom, when Kel felt someone touch her shoulder. She turned and saw Jon standing behind her

"Yes, your majesty?"

"I would like to see you privately in my office, Lady Keledry" Jon said

Raoul came up beside Kel. Jon turned to his friend "Raoul, I want you to come too"

Kel turned to Dom. Take Kaiya" Kel said "Neal, can you help Dom get the triplets back to our rooms?"

"Sure" Neal said "My dad can take care of the infirmary while you talk with the king, I'll stay in your rooms and help Dom until you get back"

"Thanks" Kel said

* * *

**Author's Note One**

I want to thank everyone for the suggestions, it was a hard pick, and, as you could tell, I couldn't pick just one name...that is the only reason Kaitlyn had triplets. I was given eleven great suggestions, and I couldn't believe how good they were. Thanks again!

**Author's Note Two**

Congratulations to lady knight keladry, Pie of Doomeh, and LadyKnightSusan for your choosen suggestions. lady knight keledry suggested Kirsten, Pie of Doomeh suggested Carly, and LadyKnightSusan suggested Kaiya.

**Author's Note Three**

The Epilouge (the next chapter I will post) will be THE FINAL CHAPTER of this story. I am, however, considering a sequel to set place 16 years later, when Dylan is released from his hard labor. If you would like to see that, please let me know. If not, I won't write it (even though I have already thought abour a few really good ideas for it...hehehe, that's all your getting out of me!) So, yeah, let me know if I should write the sequel.


	15. Epilougue

**Sorry it took so long getting this chapter posted. my schedual is freaky crazy. I have my Junior year of high school, planning for my sweet sixteen, woprking in time to go on dates with my boyfriend, a Leadership program at my church, work, and I just now got the part in a new school play. But do not fear, Fanfiction is high up on my to-do-list **

* * *

_Everyone filed out of the courtroom, when Kel felt someone touch her shoulder. She turned and saw Jon standing behind her_

_"Yes, your majesty?"_

_"I would like to see you privately in my office, Lady Keledry" Jon said_

_Raoul came up beside Kel. Jon turned to his friend "Raoul, I want you to come too"_

_Kel turned to Dom. Take Kaiya" Kel said "Neal, can you help Dom get the triplets back to our rooms?"_

_"Sure" Neal said "My dad can take care of the infirmary while you talk with the king, I'll stay in your rooms and help Dom until you get back"_

* * *

**Epilogue**

(In Jon's private study)

"Please, have a seat" Jon said, and motioned to two extra seats. Kel looked around and saw Alanna, George, Diane, and Numair. Jon sat behind his desk, and Thayet stood next to him.

"What can I do for you, your majesty?" Kel asked once she was comfortable

"Actually, I wanted to thank you for everything you did while we were at New Hope" Jon said

"Me?" Kel asked "Sire, I did nothing worth thanking me. Diane found the spell to save everyone, her Majesty convinced Kaitlyn to do the spell, and Kaitlyn was the one who actually saved you"

"I know that, Lady Keledry, but-"

"Kel" she interrupteds "Sire, I would be much more comfortable if you called me Kel. Not even the refugees call me Lady Keledry anymore"

"Alright, Kel" Jon said "While you might not have found the spell to save us or convinced Kaitlyn to perform the spell, you did show me how well you hold command, and keep your emotions in check when there is a problem under your command, which shows a rare and valuable skill for a commander"

"Thank you sir, but I do not see where the thanks fits in to all that?"

"Right here. The thanks fits in that you taught the refugees respect and how to fend for themselves" Jon said "As you know, we are starting to close down the refugee camps set up during the Scanran War and are trying to find places for the refugees to live... most refugees do not know how to take care of themselves and depend on the crown to support them. We will not, however be closing New Hope"

"You won't?" Kel asked

"No" Jon said "We will, instead, be turning it into a proper fiefdom, with a town built around it. We would like it if you would continue to be in control."

"But sire, simple knights do not run fiefs. That's for a baron or..."

"Or a baroness, as your case would be"

"Baroness?" Kel asked

"If you except the position, we can have it on the new maps in time for the coming year, and the Crown can send you with money to build up the town a little more, as well as the housing for you, your husband, and now your three children" Jon said "And, you wouldn't have to remain at the fief all the time, meaning you could go off on different adventures"

"I...I don't know what to say sir" Kel said

"Say 'thank you' Kel" Raoul said

After a few more minutes, which Kel took to get her thoughts organized, she answered "Your majesty, I thank you for your offer, and I accept"

"Wonderful" Jon said "Now, this is where the boring part comes in, I'm afraid"

"Boring?" Kel asked

"Paperwork" Raoul, Alanna, George, Numair, Diane, Jon, and Thayet said at the same time

Jon had Gary come in, and they began the paperwork

* * *

**(Hours later, Dom and Kel's room)**

Dom came out carrying a tray of wine, and handed a glass out to everyone

"A toast" Dom said, raising his glass high "To my fiancée, Lady Keledry of Mindlean, Baroness of New Hope"

"To Kel!" Everyone cheered and drunk their wine

* * *

**(Midnight-Palace dungeons)**

"Kaitlyn, wake up" Dylan said softly

"What is it?" Kaitlyn asked

"Riley"

Kaitlyn sat up quickly, and Dylan pointed towards the door. Standing there was Riley along with Kaitlyn and Riley's mother, Kaiya.

"Mama, Riley" Kaitlyn said "It's great to see you two, but what are you doing here?"

"Why we're here to congratulate you on three healthy baby girls, of course" Riley said "My nieces are so cute, and they are going to be so beautiful when they grow up"

"Riley!" Kaiya scolded "Just because we are allowed to know what will happen in the future, that does not mean we can go tell your sister and Dylan"

"What? I didn't say anything. Just that my nieces will be very beautiful" Riley said "It's not like I was going to tell them the girls will-"

"Riley..."

"Sorry mama"

"Mama, can you please tell me one thing?" Kaitlyn asked

"It depends on the question" Kaiya said

"My girls" Kaitlyn said "I know I am serving a life-long sentence of hard labor, but will I ever get to see my girls after I leave? The crown will have mercy perhaps?"

Kaiya face grew solemn "I can not say much, but I can tell you that your sentence will only last as long as Dylan's will. However, you will not go to your daughters, so the answer is no, your girls will never actually get to know you"

"But, if my sentence is only sixteen years, why wouldn't I go to them?"

"The Black God will not permit me to say, and we must return now" Kaiya said

"But Mama, wait!"

"Good-bye Kaitlyn, we will be seeing each other sooner than you think"

"Mama!" Kaitlyn called out

Dylan sat in silence, and Kaitlyn sighed "What was that all about?"

"I'm not sure" Kaitlyn said

"You don't think one of us will die soon do you?" Dylan asked "Many people die before they finish their sentences in labor, and often they will let a spouse go. Not all the time, but sometimes"

"If the Black God-the god of death- is involved, I am not entirely sure I want to know what they were talking about, and I really don't want to think about it either" Kaitlyn said

Dylan looked at her for a minute "Fair enough"

* * *

I personally think this chapter was kinda weak, and I am sorry for that. But, hey, maybe you guys liked it, I don't know.

* * *

**Thank you!**

Thank you to every one of my reviewers for the past 14 chapters of this story. It is now complete! I want to list the 26 people who, at some time or another, sent at least one review to me

**bookluver23**

**klutzyspaz**

**lady knight keledry**

**Pie of Doomeh**

**Krea Z. Rooke**

**XxtomoyoXchan93xX**

**LadyKnightSusan**

**Elfsquire90**

**Kiarrhianna Wavedog**

**SOPROL**

**JaBoyYa**

**CaliSurfr**

**deathequalsoul**

**SarahE191**

**Lupin and Tonks Fan**

**Tears of Winter**

**dinawen**

**Tortall Tribe Freak**

**theknightofkonaha**

**Merlins-Wolf**

**domslove**

**tamorapiercerulz**

**ArtsieGirlie**

**Eclipsa**

**A Symphony of Sound**

**mykaroni412**

Thanks to everyone who ever reviewed, keep your eyes open for the sequel! This is the final chapter of Trouble in Tortall

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**Review Reply**

bookluver23: Maybe there punishment was a bit harsh...but I need it for my sequel. Thanks for the review and keep your eyes open for a sequel

lady knight keladry: Glad you liked the story. The name you suggested was great! I was glad to use it. I'm already working on the sequel.

LadyKnightSusan: Glad you liked the story. I was happy to use your name, it was a great suggestion. The sequel should be up soon. The sequel will be closer to when they are old enough to take care of themselves, but I'll consider slipping in a few flashbacks so you can have a glimps of Kel raising the kids.

XxtomoyoXchan93xX: The sequel is already in progress.Buchard never actually did anything but promise money to the traitors, so that is why he didn't get a worse sentence. Well, Kaitlyn's sentence was longer, I know, but I needed it for this chapter and the sequel. I'm glad you liked the idea of giving the kids to Kel.

Krae Z. Rokke I am glad you like this story. Um...I won't really be going too deeply into the laybor, but you will get a bit about that in the early chapters of the sequel

Pie of Doomeh Really? Your real name? Wow. Lucky, your name is really pretty and unique. My name, Sarah, is pretty, but it is so common, that kinda ruins the prettiness of it. Yeah, it is kinda sad that Kaitlyn will never see them again, but Dylan gets to go back, so...there is that.I'm glad you like it, and the sequel is on it's way, I promise.


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